Middle School Newsletters

Dear Middle School Families,

We hope this letter finds you well and that you are enjoying your summer break. As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we would like to share some important information and reminders with you.

I am happy to share a few staffing updates for the year ahead.

Mr. Patrick Doring will support Middle School as we launch our Middle School Honor Council. As we prepare students for Upper School and continue helping them understand what integrity looks like in academics, we believe this will be an important addition to our division. Mr. Doring will work closely with the MS Dean of Student Life to create meaningful leadership opportunities for students.

Mr. Robby Hernandez will continue teaching 8th grade Computer Science. We are grateful our students will continue to learn from him.

Ms. Hannah Knoff will join Episcopal as our dance teacher. She brings experience in dance performance, choreography, and education, along with work teaching students ages 3 through 18. A graduate of Northwestern State University with a BFA in Dance, she performed with Of Moving Colors and later served as Associate Director. Most recently, she taught physical education and coached at BASIS Materra. We are excited for her to bring her creativity, energy, and love of movement to Episcopal.

Mr. Miles Landry will join our division and Episcopal as our World Geography teacher. He brings extensive teaching experience in American history, civics, and U.S. History, including 13 years at the Lab School. He is engaging, collaborative, and eager to be part of Middle School. In addition to teaching, he will coach football.

Ms. Jessica O'Neal will move from Life Science into Physical Science, where she will teach both 8th and 9th graders. We are grateful for her willingness to step into this role and excited for our students to learn from her in this new way.

Mr. Tommy Rhea will return to a familiar classroom and subject as our Life Science teacher. We cannot wait for students to see science through his eyes.

Dr. Taylor Wharton will serve as our Interim Middle School Dean of Student Life as Mr. Stephen Anderson transitions to his new role. Dr. Wharton is an Episcopal alumna and has served our community as Head Girls Basketball Coach and PE teacher. She has a deep love for Episcopal and a heart for student leadership. We are grateful for the way she will help our Middle School students grow as leaders.

We are excited about the year ahead, whether your family is new to Middle School, new to Episcopal, or finishing the journey with your last child after many years in Middle School. Welcome.

Each child, each day, each year, and each class brings something different, and that is part of what makes this work so meaningful and exciting.

As a reminder, your student will receive a weekly email from Dr. Wharton to help them prepare for the week ahead. You will also receive a weekly email from me with important highlights and updates.

Summer To Do Tasks:

*Complete Magnus Health Forms

Before school in August, all families must complete a host of forms and questionnaires via the Magnus Health Portal. This information helps us maintain a safe and healthy environment for all students. Without completion of these forms, students may not be eligible for athletics or participation in other school activities, including field trips, etc.

If you have questions, please reach out to the Middle & Upper School nurse, Amy Johns ([email protected]).

*Purchase School Supplies

You are welcome to purchase supplies on your own, and you can find the supply lists here. You may also purchase supplies through LA Office Solutions.

If you purchase through LA Office Solutions, please note that "S" is the code for Spanish and "F" is the code for French. You will select the package based on your child's language selection.

If your student is taking any middle school visual arts class, please also purchase the additional, appropriate, art package. Please note: These elective requests have been added to PowerSchool. You can see course requests/recommendations by going to the Parent Portal in PowerSchool. After logging in, select "Class Registration" from the menu on the left.

The arts courses, while we try to honor all requests, will not be finalized until the end of July. Students do not need art supplies on the first day of school. If you would prefer to wait until the schedule is released to pick up the arts course supplies, that would be fine.

*Complete Summer Reading

Please remember that summer reading is a required activity. The reading guidelines and assignments can be found here. We encourage all students to complete their reading to ensure a smooth start to the academic year.

*Purchase School Uniform

Episcopal Middle School students are expected to dress in accordance with the same Dress & Uniform Standards as Upper School students.

Uniform apparel can be purchased from the online School Store as well as from several vendors online or in-store locally, including School Time, Inka's, and Young Fashions. They can also be purchased from Land's End online. Additionally, there are several planned used uniform sales that the Parents' Guild manages throughout the year.

All Middle School students take PE and will need a PE uniform, which is available for purchase in the School Store.

If there are questions about the Dress & Uniform Standards, please reach out to the Interim Middle School Dean of Student Life, Dr. Taylor Wharton ([email protected]).

*Purchase Optional Pizza & Cane's Lunches

Designated Fridays through the year, students who have pre-purchased either or both Pizza & Cane's will enjoy those lunches (regular lunch will still be served).

*Order School Photos

School photos, for Middle & Upper School, will be taken on orientation day. Students should be in uniform. Please refer to the order form here for ordering details. The deadline to place orders is Friday, August 23rd.

Back To School

*Orientation Day, Thursday, August 6th

Orientation Day: Middle School Orientation Day for all students is scheduled for Thursday, August 6th. Please click the link for full details including if supplies are needed for Orientation Day.

Students should arrive by 7:50 a.m. and report directly to the VPAC, our Visual & Performing Arts Center. Orientation begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 10:15 a.m. Students will be dismissed to the front lawn.

Students will take their school picture. Please make sure your student is in school uniform.

*E-Shop

Our on-campus store in Perkins Hall will be open from 8:00 a.m. to noon on Orientation Day. Available items include PE uniforms (mandatory for all middle school students), t-shirts, sweatshirts, and various accessories. (Payment via checks or credit cards only.)

*First Day of School, Friday, August 7th

Students should report to VPAC. They may drop their bags outside the MS Building or VPAC. Students will not report to homeroom first. Special First Day of School Schedule.

*After-School Club Offerings

The 2026-2027 Club Offerings brochure will be emailed to families by Ms. Crochet on July 15.

Be Involved

*Parent Organizations

There are several ways for parents to remain engaged and supportive of their child's success at Episcopal. But one of the most impactful ways is to join and participate in the work of our parent organizations. Each is dedicated to supporting the work of the school through volunteer and fundraising efforts, which start even before the school year begins.

Parents' Guild

The largest parent organization, Parents' Guild, supports the work of the school throughout every division, contributing volunteer hours, resources, and spirit to the life of the school. Every parent is automatically a member of the Parents' Guild.

PG volunteers are a vital presence at many school events, helping with Parents' Knights, Teacher Appreciation Week, and more. There are also many fundraising opportunities over the summer, all accessible through the School Store. There, you can purchase Pizza & Cane's lunches for your child on designated Fridays throughout the year. (They will also still have access to the cafeteria's options on this day of course.) Also at the School Store, you can find E-Gear items that students can wear, including hoodies and sweatshirts, which are uniform-approved.

You can always reach out to the Parents' Guild presidents ([email protected]) at any time for questions, ideas, or other ways to get involved.

Squires Club

The Squires Club is a service organization that supports the school's athletic program and individual teams. It aims to make participation in Knights athletics an even more rewarding and proud experience for all student athletes.

Squires volunteers often help out selling fan gear at sporting events or help run ticket booths, and the opportunities are shared with members throughout the year. On top of that, Squires Fan Gear sold through the School Store as well as the Squires Club Game Day Pass help Squires fulfill its mission of cheering the Knights. Please email the Squires presidents ([email protected]) to get involved!

Arts Krewe

Arts Krewe members provide volunteer support including backstage assistance, concession staffing, coordinating events and fundraisers, providing snacks, and more. Every parent with a child engaged in an Episcopal arts program is automatically members of the Arts Krewe. But each parent has the opportunity to become a Supporting Member who receives additional perks because of their enhanced support of the arts.

Get involved today by visiting Arts Krewe online or emailing us ([email protected]).

Looking Ahead

*Upcoming Dates

Thursday, August 20th: Middle School Parents' Knight, 6:00 p.m.
Monday, September 7th: Labor Day. No School.
Wednesday, October 7th: End of 1st Quarter.
Thursday, October 8th & Friday, October 9th: Fall Holiday. No School.
Wednesday, October 14th: Middle School Teacher-Student-Parent Conferences. No classes on this day. Sign-ups will be forthcoming. These conferences are not mandatory but your student is required to attend, should you desire a conference.
Tuesday, October 20th - Friday, October 23rd: 8th Grade Camp Cho-Yeh.
Friday, October 23rd: Faculty & Staff Development. No School for Students.
Monday, October 26th: No school for 8th graders who attended Camp Cho-Yeh.

*Parent Coffees

We will host parent coffees throughout the year on a variety of topics, including math, ERB testing, meeting the 6th-grade team, and more. Please be on the lookout for those dates. As always, they will be included in the weekly newsletter, which will be emailed each Friday morning during the school year and linked here.

*Camp Cho-Yeh

This trip is a fantastic opportunity for students to bond, learn, and create lasting memories. Eighth-grade parents will receive a letter on July 15 with initial details about the Camp Cho-Yeh trip. Please be on the lookout!

Policies

*Absences

Parents should complete the Report New Absence form found through PowerSchool for each absence, including checking in late or checking out early. Completing the form as soon as an absence is anticipated is most helpful. Please note that email or telephone calls are no longer accepted as a form of reporting attendance. Here is a quick tutorial.

*Early Pick-Up/Checkout

If a parent is picking up their child and has sent in the PowerSchool form, please call the Middle School office at 225-755-2725 when you have arrived. Your student will then be called out of class to sign out in the office and then dismiss them to where you are parked on campus. Parents do not need to come into the Middle School office. There are no student check outs after 2:30 p.m. The PowerSchool form MUST be completed before a student will be released.

*Carpool

Middle School carpool drop off and pick up is on the Front Lawn. Afternoon Carpool begins at 3:15 p.m. and ends at 3:45 p.m. For morning drop-off only, Middle School students with Lower School siblings are welcome to use the Lower School drop-off area with their sibling.

*Parking & Visitor Check-in

If you are visiting campus for any reason, you must check in at the Alumni House and receive a visitor badge. A driver's license or state ID is required for check in. When leaving campus please check out at the Alumni House. Visitor parking is available in the lot in front of the Alumni House. Parking on Woodland Ridge Boulevard is available only between 8:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.

Additional Resources

*Resources

This webpage contains many additional downloads and links that can help students and families stay informed and connected to policies, procedures, and support services.

Calendar

This calendar shares all events that are happening on campus throughout the year.

Academic Calendar

In addition to the calendar above, this provides students and families a quick reference of key dates, including school breaks and quarter & semester ends.

Curriculum Guide

This resource is key to understanding our overall academic program. Please refer to it for information about courses and graduation requirements.

New Family Resources

For further information that is helpful to those new to our community, this website is a strong resource.